Tonight’s AGM will be the first meeting in the new Hall, so it is an opportunity to see inside. The lobby, the hall itself and the toilets are all that can be seen this evening.
The building will be officially handed over to us on Friday this week, though the grounds will not be handed over until next Friday (18th June), just in time for Open Gardens and the Children’s Show on Sunday 20th June.
The Hall Memorial can be booked through Janet at the Sycamore Inn (tel. 390 212), though there may be changes on the Committee following this evening’s meeting.
PARWICH.ORG 
New Hall is certainly impressive but there is a problem! The acoustics are certainly not favorable for those of us that are hard of hearing. Several people that I spoke to at the AGM tonight had difficulty hearing what was being said. I presume that the DDA regulations require a T loop system to be installed, which when working would help those of us that have hearing aids, but for those that don’t then the problem will persist unless some means of improving the acoustics is found
If there is a problem with the acoustics then it must be only in specific places as I have hearing difficulties but had no problem hearing everything in the hall last night.
As most are aware, last night’s meeting marked the culmination of a long and complicated project to deliver a new, updated and upgraded hall for the village. And what a truly gorgeous building we now have. I am aware that there are some who don’t think so, but I do, and I won’t be cowed to not say so.
I would like to publicly thank those people who have given us a facility fit for generations to come. Not only is it pleasing on the eye and the environment, but it has been beautifully constructed with the highest quality materials, and I defy anyone who looks inside not to be overwhelmed by it. We should be proud of it, and proud of and grateful to those who have brought it about.
There have been so many people involved in this project over the years, from the previous Memorial Hall Committees who set the ball rolling over 10 years ago, through a design team who had the vision and contacts to secure us a design by an award winning architect, through to a team who had the focus, drive, patience, talent and tenacity to raise a staggering £700,000 and deliver a building of such beauty and quality, on budget.
I personally don’t feel its right to name specific individuals since there have been so many, and so many have had different roles over the years. Being close to some of them, I know they wouldn’t want it. They didn’t do it for that. But to all the hundreds of people who have had a hand in this wonderful achievement over the years, I would like to offer my personal gratitude and admiration for their selfless effort on behalf of others. Well done!
I know by observation that this has not come about without blood, sweat, tears, angst, worry, enormous pressure, joy, and just about every other emotion one could imagine. Last night, a few of the group who helped make this happen stepped back for a new team to take the baton. For some it has cost us a lot more than a lighter wallet and many sleepless nights.- A whole lot more.
But it was worth it.
The result is stunning, and is a fitting tribute to those who gave their lives in defence of our Country – it is after all, our Memorial Hall.
Oh, and a thought on the acoustics (from a physicist) – actually, I think the hall is acoustically very good. I believe it is fitted with acoustic tiles, which deaden the tendency to echo. This also has the effect of allowing directionally projected sound to be clear, but has the effect that if you are behind someone speaking away from you, then it may be harder to hear. Although this is a desirable quality for performance venues, it may account for a lack of clarity in a situation where you have people speaking from an audience. – Just a thought.
Yesterday’s AGM was my first opportunity to view the hall from the inside – and while it might be a bit of cliché to say so, what I saw literally took my breath away. I’ve seen a few other completed Marsh Grochowski designs before: some are wonderful, and others are not so much to my taste. This one firmly belongs in the first category. I spent a long time wandering between the various areas, and taking in all the different angles and dimensions – and it seemed that no matter where I stood, the view remained pleasing to the eye. I particularly like the entrance lobby, and the view (in both directions) along the passageway that leads past the disabled toilet towards the kitchen and meeting room. Other favourite features: the blinds that come down to cover the glass doors at the back of the main hall, the quirky upper windows in the meeting room, the wooden beams in the roof of the hall, the magnificent wooden floor, the ingenious chair-stacking device… the list goes on. The kitchen is amazingly well-equipped, and in general there’s a real sense of attention to detail throughout – nothing looks shoddy or compromised. It also feels like a flexible, fit-for-purpose building, which can adapt itself to a wide variety of functions. You sense that the whole design and build has been painstakingly thought through, not just from an aesthetic point of view, but from a practical point of view as well.
One of the big surprises was the amount of natural light – even on a grey, drizzly evening – as this isn’t obvious when you first look at the exterior of the building from the road. I’m now looking forward to revisiting the building on a bright, sunny afternoon, to see what the interior looks like with the light flowing in from the south side. Most of all, I can’t wait to see the finished patio area at the back of the building, which should be an ideal spot to congregate in fine weather.
As to the acoustic, I can only speak for myself – but as someone who often struggles to make out what people are saying in poor acoustic environments, and who often has to resort to lip-reading, I can honestly say that I experienced no difficulties during the meeting, even when people behind me were speaking. Due to its size, the main hall had the potential to be very echoey, but I didn’t pick up on any issues in that respect.
I’m profoundly grateful to everyone who helped make this project a success: from the initial planning and specification stages, through to the detailed design process, the preparation of the lottery bid, the fund-raising applications, and finally to the construction process itself. It’s a staggering achievement, and I feel lucky and proud to be benefiting from it.
It’s lovely to read these comments and those posted elsewhere on the site. I’m sorry I couldn’t be at the meeting last night, I would have enjoyed seeing the (so nearly) completed Memorial Hall. From the photos and comments it is clearly very impressive. So many have worked hard for so long and as one who looks forward to using the hall, a huge thank you to all of you.
A quick word to say that the school children weren’t really represented at the meeting last night because they got back late from a school trip and needed to get home, be fed, watered and put to bed. However, the school children are going to benefit hugely from this amazing facility. I’d like to thank all those people who’ve worked so hard to create such a fabulous teaching and learning environment for our children, both as chair of governors of the school but also personally as a parent of three kids at the school. I’ve said it before but we are going to be the best equipped village school around!
I am informed that actually there is a T-Loop installed, but in the haste and excitement of Wednesdays AGM, we weren’t aware of it or where the switch was. Mr. Duffell can now rest easy that he and others will have no problem in future.